Railroad-signal.



No. 737,662. PATENTB'D SEPT. 1, 1903. J. B. REAGAN.

RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1963;

no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903. J. B. RBAGAN.

RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1903..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

110 MODEL.

UNrrED STATES Patented September 1, 1903. l 4

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,662, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed March 21,1903. Serial No. 148,971. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH B. REAGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Savage, in the county of Allegany and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

On railroads and relative to the use of the semaphore-signals which are of general adoption it is impossible in foggy weather to see the semaphore, and it becomes practically useless. It is therefore the chief purpose of this invention to provide, in connection with the semaphore, a resonating signal which may be operated thereby and make certain that the engineer, for instance, of an approaching train is made aware of that which would be indicated by the visual signals under auspicious circumstances.

It is proposed to constitute a peculiar form of mechanism operated, as before premised, by shifting of the semaphore, by which a torpedo or number of torpedoes may be placed upon the railroad-track in such a manner as to be exploded by the passing train.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

WVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the semaphore and showing the relative disposition of the connections between the operating mechanism of the same and that of the mechanism provided in carrying out the invention. Fig. 2 is a combined section and elevation, the semaphore being shifted to throw the operating mechanism in such a position as to place the torpedoes upon the track. Fig. 3 is a view similar to. Fig. 2, the semaphore being down and the torpedoes withdrawn from the track. Fig. 4 is a plan View, parts being broken away, of the end of the slide-bar in position in the casing. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line X X of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the carrier-plates in position on the slide-bar, showing the exact construction thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings the semaphore 1 on its stand 2 is of the ordinary construction embodied in practical use, being operated from the signal-station by the operating-cord 3, connected to the extending crank 4.

A bell-crank lever 5 is pivoted to a side of the stand 2, and a'rod 6 connects ohe arm of the said bell-crank lever to the crank 4 of the semaphore. Disposed upon opposite sides of the track, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, are housings 7, and within these housings are located the operatingslidebars 8, which carry the torpedoes 9 mediately through the spring carrying-plates 10, which are removably attached to the said slide-bars 8. The carrying-plates are formed of spring metal and have their ends adapted to enter pockets 11 upon the slide-bars 8 and are of peculiar form. The end portions of the plates 10 on which the .torpedoes are placed are so adapted that on actuation of the slide-bars 8 to place the torpedoes upon the track the ends 12 will move into contact with the rails, the slide-bar resting approximately in contact with the webs of the latter. This specific structure is of advantage, since it is commonly known that an approaching train will cause an immense vibration on the rail, and on account of this the possibility of jarring the torpedoes into a position in which they may not come into contact with the wheels of the car is imminent. Because of the spring effect of the plates 10 and contact with the rails they are substantially locked from any vibration, and thus an important desideratum is attained. The slide-bars 8 are adapted for a reciprocal movement within the casing and have perforated lugs 14, extending from the under sides thereof. Gonnecting-rods 15 and 15 are pivoted to the lugs 14, the rod 15 being connected to the lower arm of the crank-lever 5 and the rod 15 to one end of alever 16, pivoted at approximately a central point between the tracks. A connecting-rod 17 connects one end of the slide-bar which is directly actuated by the semaphore mechanism to the opposite end of the lever 16. The lug 14 works through a slot 18 in the bottom of the casing, as will be noted by reference to the sectional figures of the drawings.

Descriptive of the operation of the device setting of the semaphores in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 causes actuation of the various parts in the following manner. Through the rod 6 the upper arm of the crank-lever 5 is moved downward and the lower arm of course upward. The actuation of the crank in the above manner pulls the slide-bar connected to the rod 15 out and likewise through the lever 16 the slide-bar opposite is simultaneously actuated, and the torpedoes are thus thrown into position near the rails of the track. The operation of the parts in removing the carrying-plates after the torpedoes are exploded is apparent from the above. The said plates may be readily replaced should they be in any Way damaged by the wheels passing over them.

It will be noted that I am not necessarily restricted to the exact structure of parts as herein illustrated, but may within the spirit of my invention modify same to an extent included within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a railroad-signal of the character described, and in combination with a semaphore and operating mechanism therefor, of slidebars disposed upon opposite sides of the track,

connecting means between the slide-bars,

whereby they may be simultaneously operated, a bell-crank lever pivoted to the semaphore-stand, connecting means between the arms of the lever and the semaphore and one of the slide-bars, respectively, whereby actuation of the semaphore causes operation of the slide-bars, and resonating devices carried by the said slide-bars, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railroad-signal of the character described, and in combination with a semaphore and operating mechanism therefor, housings disposed adjacent'the corresponding rails of the track, slide-bars adapted for movement within the housings and havinglugs projected from the under sides thereof, a lever pivoted intermediate the rails of the tracks, a rod connecting one end of the said lever to the lug of the farther slide-bar and a second rod connecting the opposite end of the lever to one end of the other slide-bar, a bell-crank pivoted to the semaphore-stand, and rods connecting the opposite arms of said crank-lever with the semaphore and the lug upon the under side of the adjacent slide-bar, respectively, and torpedo-carrying plates removably secured to the said slide-bars, substantially as described.

3. In a resonating signal for railroads, and in combination with a semaphore and operating mechanism therefor, housings located adjacent the rails of the track, slots formed in the bottom sides of said housings, slidebars movable within the housings and having lugs projected from the under sides thereof and passing through the aforesaid slots, a lever pivoted intermediate the tracks, a rod connecting the lug of the farther slide-bar and one end of the pivoted lever, and a second rod connecting the other end of the said lever to the end of the adjacent slide-bar, a bell-crank lever pivoted to the semaphorestand and having one arm connected to the semaphore and the other to the lug of the adjacent slide-bar, pockets provided upon the upper sides of the slide-bars, torpedo-carriers removably secured in the said pockets and comprising spring-plates, the end portions of these plates being adapted to rest in contact with the heads of the rails, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIAH B. REAGAN. -[L. 8.] 

